Righteously Spewing People Off Your List

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.”

Revelation 3:15-16

Oh yeah, baby!

The above is from the book of Revelation.

And while it has nothing to do with business or marketing or selling… I use it as my guide to business, marketing and sales in virtually every ad, email and marketing piece I create.

Why?

What’s the big deal?

Because I prefer my readers to be hot or cold.

Someone who is hot, is not only ready to buy, but is ready to solve whatever problem the product I’m selling solves.

And someone who’s cold?

They will move on.

Hopefully unsubscribe from my list.

And, find the solution/business/product that does turn them on — and spend their money on that, instead.

Hot or cold is GOOD.

Lukewarm is bad.

Lukewarm people suck up your time.

Waste your bandwidth.

And, never make a decision.

They are often the people who wander around from one list to the next… never buying, rarely committing… and always complaining.

They’re the blokes who want everything NOW.

Everything FAST.

And, yes, everything FREE.

Screw that sideways.

That’s why I do everything I can to “spew” them off my lists… to get them to unsubscribe… and, to hopefully, never hear from them.

Hey, I know that’s not “nice.”

But if it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.

And so, it’s the “Email Players” way of selling.

No… it won’t make you popular.

But it can make you more sales.

And make business more fun.

Learn how it’s done at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Casting Advertising Critics Into Mount Doom

Recently, I watched The Hobbit again.

The Hobbit is the prelude to the “Lord Of The Rings” movies from 10 years ago showing how Bilbo the hobbit found the One Ring decades before Frodo and Sam take up the quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom.

Anyway, the “purists” hate The Hobbit.

They say it doesn’t follow the book.

That it’s completely idiotic.

And, that it flat out sucks.

Yet, that “sucky” movie surpassed $1 billion at the global box office — making it the fourth biggest film in Warner Bros.’ history.

Which brings me to the point:

Critics are everywhere.

And it’s funny how (in many cases) the more they hate on something, the MORE that thing sells.

Whether it be movies.

Or foods.

Or, yes, advertising.

This is why I always ignore “advertising critics.”

Yes, hear them out.

(Even a busted clock is right twice per day…)

But realize:

Most critics are terrible at judging what’s effective.

You’re far better off listening to your market.

What THEY think.

What THEY say.

And, what THEY buy.

One more thing.

Something else “hobbit” related.

Everyone I know in business has that One Thing that rules their lives, driving them to want to be in business for themselves.

Whether it be to quit their job.

Or pay off their debts.

Or just grease the grooves of life, etc.

I speaketh of that One Thing that holds them back.

Keeps them from getting ahead.

And, that needs to be destroyed.

Everyone’s One Thing is different.

And whatever yours is, I can’t carry it for you.

But, I CAN carry you (heh).

When you subscribe to the “Email Players” newsletter, I do this by giving you monthly “virtual coaching” via the newsletter. Plus, the other “perks” that come with your subscription, including asking me questions about email, getting discounted (or free) products… and even submitting one email per month for critique.

Yes, it’s expensive.

(Very expensive.)

And, no, it’s not for everyone.

So no “impulse buyers”, please.

People like that just waste their time and money.

But for the few who do qualify?

Subscription info is at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Machine Gun Persuader

“…if your child or family member was abducted today, if a mad man came in, a terrorist came in, abducted your family member or your child and if I said to you I can bring your child home…does it matter how I bring them home?”

- Sam Childers

Saw a very cool movie recently.

It’s called:

“Machine Gun Preacher”

It’s about the real life story of Sam Childers — a violent drug-dealing biker and ex-con who converts to Christianity, goes to east Africa to help rebuild homes destroyed by civil war and becomes a crusader for the Sudanese children who are being tortured, raped, sold into slavery and forced to become soldiers. (Amnesty International estimates over 400,000 murders and 40,000 abductions per year). The “machine gun” part comes in when he starts leading armed missions into the enemy territory to save these kidnapped children.

The movie is brilliantly written.

Brilliantly acted.

And… brilliantly persuasive.

Here’s what I mean:

The first time I saw it I wanted to donate to Sam’s “Angels Of East Africa” organization (which operates ONLY on donations — no government or political assistance). The sheer horrors of what these kids experience is chilling. And, as violent as the movie is, it still falls WAY short of showing the hell that’s really happening to these kids.

And yet, I saw no call to action.

No URL plugged.

(Unless I missed it.)

The STORY alone got me looking it up online so I could donate to Sam’s organization that very night.

Thus, the power of stories.

People are “hardwired” to be persuaded by stories.

Learn how to tell stories in your emails and you can make sales even if you suck at “copywriting.”

Case in point:

Next month’s “Email Players” issue.

It’s about a wine maker who nabs $30 million per year JUST telling stories in emails.

Lots and lots of stories.

Sometimes 2-3 per day!

There’s lots of cool psychology in what he does.

And, it’ll be in the June issue.

(Which goes to print the first week of June.)

Go here to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Mailchimp Excites The Mail Chumps

Saw this amusing Google+ post yesterday:

Email marketer +Ben Settle is known for sending messages to his list every day. He argues that if you are giving good content then people won’t be annoyed.

A new study by Mailchimp disagrees. A frequency of your campaigns increase, engagement tends to decrease.

The exception – daily emails about a short term event, like a presidential campaign.

The takeaway here is simple. Run for political office and you’ll have an excuse for increasing…

Funny stuff.

Not sure who Mailchimp is talking about.

But it sure as hellz ain’t talking about guys like me. (Sales have nearly doubled since this time last year.) Or my “Email Players” subscribers. (Just yesterday I quoted a subscriber doing my 30-day challenge — which requires daily emails — who made more sales in March than in January and February combined.) Or all the other smart marketers who have long known daily is best. (Right now, for example, I’m working on the June “Email Players” newsletter — and I’m analyzing a wine maker who nabs $30 MILLION per year sending *multiple* daily emails to his list — and sells ONLY with email.)

But, like I keep saying:

All these chumps believing “less email is better” is good.

It means (if you do it right) you’ll have zero competition.

While your little mush cookie competitors are blindly following studies and only sending out one email per week or whatever, you can kick some gluteus assimus.

But, you have to do it right.

Otherwise Mailchimp is correct:

People will ignore you.

That’s where my “Email Players” newsletter can help.

My system calls for daily emails.

But, it’s simple.

And fun.

And, yes, profitable.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Money Is Attracted To SPEED, Not Mazes

Some people think I hype this…

But in the “Email Players Playbook” (which is free when you subscribe to the “Email Players” newsletter) there’s an appendix called “The 30 Day Challenge” that works like gangbusters for people with a list, are willing to work, and do it correctly.

Case in point:

Subscriber Ryan Masters in the fitness niche.

(One of the Internet’s most over saturated and “cut throat” niches.)

He’s also passionate about changing lives.

So, he did the 30 day challenge in March.

The result?

  • 156% increase in total revenue for March compared to February
  • More sales in March than Jan & Feb combined
  • More responsive list
  • Plus, a “spillover” benefit: “The massive action writing emails every day leads to you taking more massive action in your business. I now have a high-end coaching product available (per the newsletter example) and am launching a continuity one here soon.”

More:

He saw NO spike in spam complaints.

And, my favorite part:

“Before I was wasting time trying to set-up mazes and sequences. Just blasting this out is better because a.) it gets done b.) strengthens yours email skills (like lifting weights every day) c.) you can go back and build a maze after you’ve got 30 emails and know which one(s) work.”

Yep.

I’m like the lone wolf in the wilderness saying this.

But screwing around building complicated auto-responder sequences and “mazes” right away sounds sexy and “ninja”, but on the street-level it holds you back.

Money is attracted to SPEED not mazes.

Hey, I can’t promise you’ll get Ryan’s results.

But, there’s only one way to find out:

Take the 30 day challenge.

Do it as instructed.

And, watch what happens.

Here’s where to subscribe:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Why Assuming Only Makes An Ass Out Of You, Not Me

Sometimes I confuse other direct marketers.

Every week or so, someone will send me unsolicited (i.e. I did not ask for it) advice about how I can better monetize my “Email Players” newsletter. For the life of them they cannot understand why I don’t do affiliates… laugh at the idea of doing a 3-month free trial offer… never send people to the sales letter during interviews (instead only to my main blog)… why don’t I offer a bunch (or all) back issues to new subscribers as a “carrot” to get them to subscribe, etc, etc etc.

Of course, none of them gets it.

And the reason why is… they assume.

They assume I even WANT thousands of subscribers.

(I do, but only the right kind…)

They assume I WANT “cold” prospects to buy.

(I definitely don’t.)

And they assume I WANT to grow this arm of my business into some giant business which requires more infrastructure, employees, and time/energy investment.

(Uhm, no.)

All this assuming.

Very few ever, you know, ask first.

If they did, here’s what I’d tell ‘em:

I don’t necessarily want hundreds of “Email Players” subscribers because, frankly, most people really should not be subscribing at all. They don’t have the right mindset and would be better off working a job than a business.

These are not “bad” people.

But they make for terrible “Email Players” subscribers.

And dealing with them is a waste of my time.

In almost every case, they have a scarcity mindset, look at the newsletter as an expense instead of an investment (huge difference in results for those who treat it as an investment, they make their money back several times over each month), and want a magic button on the side of their computer that spits out money like an ATM.

Why would I want them just to make a quick “impulse” sale?

What good does that do?

I’d rather them spend their money on something else.

So, yes, I want lots of subscribers.

But the newsletter comes with lots of “tail” (where I personally do critiques and answer questions by email).

So, I only want the RIGHT kind of subscribers.

Same with cold prospects.

My newsletter is not for cold traffic and impulse buyers sent via affiliates or coming from Google. Nor is it for anyone not already “sold” on me via being on my list, who hasn’t read the free “Email Players” pdf you get upon subscribing at BenSettle.com, and who is simply in a hyper emotional state and is not thinking rationally when they buy.

Don’t want ‘em.

Same with offering free trials and free back issues.

Yes, I could multiply my customer base.

But, giving away expensive back issues my long time loyal subscribers paid money for is a complete insult to those subscribers.

It also cheapens the value, too.

And, would bring in the *wrong* type of people.

Plus, there’s other “intangible” psychological forces at work here most direct marketers never bother to dig deep enough into their craft to learn (most of which you will not learn from any of today’s online “gurus”).

I know this is like blasphemy to goo-roo fanboys:

But (gasp!) there’s more to this than money.

I am FAR more interested in having a balanced life — where I can enjoy myself and be excited about what I do. Otherwise, business is no longer fun, and becomes something that’s despised.

Screw ‘dat.

I’ve known too many people who chase money over balance.

And they are all miserable wretches.

So there you have it.

That’s what I’d tell the assumers.

Remember:

Assuming doesn’t make an ass out of you and me.

It only makes an ass out of you.

So, ask questions, first.

Don’t assume.

Not only will you be wiser.

But, who knows?

You may end up richer with a more balanced life, too.

Oh, and speaking of balance…

Last month in the April “Email Players” newsletter I revealed how I structured my online business to (1) make a comfortable living using email and (2) have complete balance with my time and energy (more often than not writing just an email or two then being done for the day).

And, some have asked if it’s too late to get it.

Well, yes, it is.

(The May issue is going to the post office today.)

But, back issues are for sale to paying subscribers. When you subscribe to “Email Players” you will get a catalog with each issue where you can buy back issues.

But, as I said last month:

Don’t subscribe just for that ONE issue.

You’re wasting your time and money.

My newsletter is intended to be a long term investment.

Not a one-shot “get rich by Thursday” scheme.

In other words…

It takes time.

It takes effort (lots of writing).

And a long term commitment where each issue compounds on the info from the previous issues (and future issues) over time.

This is why most people are not qualified.

And, really, why they should not even read any of my stuff.

I’m wholly incompatible with their mindset.

Anyway, that’s that.

“Email Players” subscription info at:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle

Why Pursuing Wealth Is A Fantabulous Way To Stay Miserably Broke

Let’s switch things up today…

Recently I was talking with a friend about how cool it’d be to travel back in time “Marty McFly” style and warn my younger self (i.e. “Child Settle”) about some of the perils and pitfalls he is going to face.

What advice would I give him?

The list is long and distinguished.

But, here are a few things I’d tell the strapping young lad:

1.) Self discipline is everything

When you have mastery over your thoughts, urges, appetites and time, you are automatically in the top 3% of achievers on this planet. A concept you will first learn while reading Dan Kennedy’s “NO BS Time Management” book, and then later on the hard way after SPURNING the book’s advice…

2.) Stay the hellz away from college

Yeah, it’ll be fun.

You’ll have a great time, too.

But, you’re going to spend the first 10 years after graduating (1) paying off a fat student loan and (2) unlearning all the silly little theories colleges teach about real world success.

3.) The ability to produce is everything

You won’t learn this until 2002.

(This one from Dan Kennedy, as well.)

And it’ll hit you upside your head so hard it’ll be the driving force behind almost every business decision you make afterwards. Hone and invest in your ability to produce now, while you’re still young.

4.) When in doubt do the opposite of the masses

Earl Nightingale teaches you this in 2001.

But why not start when early?

Not only will you progress much farther (and far faster) than all your peers in business and marketing, but you’ll also automatically (since everyone is doing the opposite) start to:

5.) Avoid debt like the zombie apocalypse plague

Consumer debt is evil.

It enslaves you to others.

So instead of using credit to buy things (like a car, equipment, computer, marketing education, etc) use your imagination to find a way to EARN the money instead. And while you’re at it, read Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” once per year starting yesterday…

6.) Never be afraid to take an “L”

This means “take a loss.”

Whether it be in business, negotiation, relationships, etc. Fear of loss will make you irrational and result in making really bad decisions. Plus, you will find the things you feared losing most usually weren’t worth having in the first place…

7.) One is the most dangerous number

This is another thing you’ll learn the hard way unless you decide not to SPURN your future self’s advice.

8.) Seek wisdom, not wealth

But be ready… doing this will mean some painful (and sometimes humiliating) growing pains, and stretch your patience levels to the hilt.

Hey, that’s just the way it goes.

Wisdom ain’t cheap, after all.

In fact, it’s quite expensive…

So anyway, that’s what I’d tell Child Settle.

(Amongst other things…)

I think the last one is most important, though.

It’s something I’ve talked extensively about with people I interviewed for my “Christian Business Secrets” book a few years ago. Like, for example, Matt Gillogly who went from making over $100k per MONTH to zero (think he might have learned a thing or two from that…?) Or Guy Malone who goes to new age and UFO conventions, sets up a booth and somehow manages to baptize people who were sometimes outright hostile to him just hours earlier. (Talk about needing some razor sharp selling skillz…) Or Terry Dean who’s one of the “founding fathers” of Internet marketing (and who specifically made a point of talking about how much his life changed when he started praying for wisdom instead of wealth.) And all the other people in the book who let me grill them about their business trials and tribulations.

Anyway, interesting book.

And it’s packed with wisdom & tips like:

  • A secret way to win the trust of cold (and even hostile!) prospects.
  • How to use your house keys to discern if someone would be a good business partner or not.
  • How to “arrange” it so nobody in your market wants to buy from anyone but you. (Even if you don’t have the lowest prices.)
  • The Apostle Paul’s simple 3-step advertising system that’s since been used (consciously or unconsciously) by some of the most successful salesmen in history.
  • How to use popular persuasion “tactics” ethically and in a way that makes people glad and happy to do business with you.
  • The “for real” law of attraction secret you’ll never see in books and movies like “The Secret” or “Think And Grow Rich.” (This has nothing to do with the so-called “prosperity gospel” or anything else seen on TV or in big mega churches, either.)
  • How to effectively sell your products and services without feeling like you’re manipulating anyone.
  • Why most of the main players in the Bible were business owners. (Including Jesus Himself!)
  • How one of the world’s top eBay sellers prospers online using scriptural principles freely available to the world.
  • How to use your small business to bring about real changes in big corporations. (Boycotts don’t work — but THIS will.)
  • How online marketers can almost instantly start selling more products and services. (This secret was used all the time by an advertising genius who was also a high level Biblical scholar — and makes selling as easy as falling off a log.)
  • Why King Solomon (who was granted divine wisdom by God) probably would have been a HUGE fan of sending daily emails to his leads and prospects.
  • And a ho’ bunch more.

Anyway, the book is on Amazon.

And is available in both Kindle and hard copy format/

To get the Kindle version go here:

www.ChristianBusinessSecrets.com/kindle

To get the hard copy (recommended — as it’s a meaty book, perfect for flipping through randomly) version, go here:

www.ChristianBusinessSecrets.com/hard_copy

That’s it for today.

Tomorrow?

Not sure yet…

Ben Settle

55 Secrets Of History’s Top Masters Of Persuasion

Blatant pitch time…

Many moons ago I wrote a book called:

“Crackerjack Selling Secrets”

It started off as my own personal selling cheat sheet with 101 easy and ethical ways to sell almost anything, to anyone (online or offline) — without struggle, frustration or using any “black hat” nonsense.

Later, I expanded it into a book and it was an instant hit.

In fact, versions of the book sold for as much as $97.00.

(And even then people thought it was a bargain.)

But guess what?

Today it’s up on ClickBank.

Is in easy-to-read pdf format.

And, is at a price anyone can afford.

Here are just 55 of the secrets inside:

  • A simple way to “spin” a prospect’s rejection into multiple new sales. (Just say this when someone tells you “no” and you can potentially nab 2, 3, 5, even 10 extra sales. You’ll probably even start praying for “no’s” after reading this!)
  • The “nerd gets cheerleader” persuasion trick that makes it extremely hard for customers to resist buying from you. (Even if they didn’t originally intend to!)
  • An almost unheard of way to use vicious gossip to sell more products. (Benjamin Franklin used this to get even hostile kings of enemy countries to listen to and follow his ideas while serving as a U.S. diplomat.)
  • How to “de-hype” your most powerful and outrageous product claims. (Mr. Spock often did this in the old Star Trek TV shows when persuading Captain Kirk to do something crazy.)
  • The secret of selling with your hands. (As far as I can tell, nobody in the history of mankind has ever been able to ignore a sales pitch by someone who does this with one of their hands.)
  • How to get cold prospects to EAGERLY buy even your most expensive products “sight unseen” (This was discovered years ago by a social psychologist, takes zero effort to use and is so effective, this might be the only sales “technique” you ever need!)
  • How the man once billed as “the world’s greatest salesman” sold millions of dollars in products by NOT talking during his pitches. (This is PERFECT if you’re introverted, shy or feel awkward when selling.)
  • A sneaky (and fun) way to “trick” your competition into doing your selling for you… and without them even knowing it! (Warning: This ONLY works for truly valuable products and services. Otherwise, it will backfire on you.)
  • A can’t-lose way to “flip” angry prospects into your happiest and BEST paying customers. (One giant airline did this when a flight was delayed for several hours with people on board and had them loving the company within minutes.)
  • The “bumbler’s advantage” persuasion phenomenon used by some of history’s most effective salesmen, politicians, negotiators and lawyers.
  • The simple trick (used all the time by professional con men) that makes it almost impossible for prospects to tell you “no.” (And never fear, there’s absolutely nothing even remotely unethical, illegal or immoral about doing this.)
  • A secret “2 second” trick for selling high ticket products and services to complete strangers.
  • The pick-up artist’s “instant ice-breaking” secret for getting people to like and trust you within seconds of meeting you.
  • A borderline “racist” (and even sexist) sales principle that instantly makes people more likely to buy from you. (Don’t worry–there’s nothing unethical or evil about this. In fact, people APPRECIATE it when you do it.)
  • The “Dear Abby” persuasion formula used by a few (very rich) marketers to slip past peoples’ natural sales defenses. (Even works with people who automatically delete or ignore sales pitches on sight!)
  • How top door-to-door salesmen used to quickly and easily “neutralize” prospect sales resistance. (Also works on the Internet, too.)
  • How the guy once called “the most persuasive man of the 20th century” effortlessly sold Wall Street tycoons, political power players and even U.S. presidents on his products, services and ideas.
  • 7 simple words that almost force “hemmers & hawers” off the fence. (And, in many cases, choose to buy what you’re selling!)
  • A sneaky way to sell more products with a WEAK sales pitch.
  • The best people to study if you want to learn the art and craft of selling as fast as humanly possible. (And without spending a single penny on any books, courses or seminars.)
  • The little-known persuasion secret behind how even complete “nobodies” are elected to public office. (And how to use this secret for almost anything you want to sell, too.)
  • A sneaky (but effective) way to “recruit” other sales and marketing pros to help YOU make more money.
  • How dirty politicians and their “henchmen” persuade people of power and influence to give them their money and votes. (And how to ethically use this same secret with your legitimate products.)
  • How to make MORE money from a prospect by NOT selling them anything. (This may sound bizarre, but it works like crazy almost every time.)
  • When “positive thinking” can destroy your sales. (This is must-reading If you follow the teachings in “Think And Grow Rich” or “The Secret”.)
  • A secret button on your telephone that’s been proven to quickly, easily and sometimes dramatically increase sales. (Another bizarre tip. And it works especially well for people who HATE selling by phone!)
  • How certain politicians win millions of extra votes even when nobody trusts or likes them. (If you pay attention, you can see this subtle persuasion secret used every day on the news.)
  • The “ninja question” used by a certain real estate agent to routinely outsell his competitors. (Just ask your prospects this seemingly innocent question and watch what happens!)
  • The “squirmy question” secret of one the direct selling industry’s top sales trainers. (Ideal for selling expensive products to cold prospects.)
  • A truly “no brainer” (yet almost always overlooked) way to get people looking FORWARD to hearing from you. (And many times even eager to buy from you.)
  • How to arrange it so instead of you trying to sell to your prospects… your prospects sell YOU on “letting” them buy. (Master this and selling is “cake”.)
  • The quickest way to “position” yourself as a trusted authority in your market–even if nobody has ever heard of you before.
  • One (very simple) way cults persuade ordinary people to join their freaky organizations. (Nothing “black hat” about it, either. In fact, this was used by one of the most respected copywriters who ever lived to sell over 100 million dollars worth of products by mail order.)
  • How one of the world’s top direct marketers uses an ordinary pocket watch to sell FAR more of his products than he would otherwise. (This may sound almost TOO simple, but it’s spooky how easily this ramps up sales.)
  • The “Harvard” secret of easy selling. (This powerful persuasion principle was discovered by a Harvard psychologist, and makes people up to 94% more likely to buy from you!)
  • How your “expert” status can HURT your sales!
  • An almost fool proof way to eliminate “sticker shock” when selling high ticket products and services.
  • Every day “magic” words that make even hypey, over-the-top claims instantly believable.
  • Abraham Lincoln’s long lost persuasion secret you will never read about in the history books. (Lincoln was one of history’s great debaters and persuaders. Here’s one of his best-kept secrets for winning over his rivals in politics and business.)
  • The exact best time to begin selling. (Back in the old days, a few smart door-to-door salesmen used this knowledge to 1.) Virtually eliminate rejection and 2.) Make LOTS more sales. Also works for getting raises at a job, too.)
  • The persuasion “mind candy” secret of the world’s most respected (and feared) negotiator. (Works like gangbusters for persuading everyone from your neighbors or family members to big ego boardroom executives.)
  • A 100% “no hype” way to quickly stick out like a sore thumb in competitive markets. (Boardroom Books–one of the biggest direct mail companies in the world–made a fortune doing this. You can use it, too.)
  • A secret way (almost nobody knows) to make sure you NEVER bore your prospect. (This was accidentally discovered by a grade school teacher to keep her hyper active kids calm and behaved. And it virtually guarantees you keep your prospect’s undivided attention when selling in person, on the phone or even in an ad or sales letter.)
  • A controversial (yet dignified and tasteful) way to increase your sales by threatening your prospects’ families.
  • The secret of getting customers to “sell themselves” on buying from you. (No arguing, gimmicks or convincing necessary.)
  • How to prove your product is better than your competitor’s without showing your prospects even a shred of proof. (Pepsi used this to corner the soft drink market. Here’s how you can use it, too.)
  • How to use your prospect’s natural desire to be lazy to sell him MORE products and services.
  • How to get total strangers to trust you right out the gate.
  • A blatantly “politically incorrect” persuasion secret (discovered by the late marketing genius Gary Halbert)… that reveals ALL of your prospect’s unique emotional “hot buttons.”
  • The single easiest way to win a prospect’s trust ever invented. (Advertising legend David Ogilvy used this to dominate the super competitive advertising business in the 1960′s. And it’s shocking so few people use it today.)
  • The right (and wrong) ways to use gut-wrenching fear in your sales pitches.
  • A “counter intuitive” sales tip (most people never think to do) that immediately gets customers WANTING to buy from you and ONLY you.
  • How to “recruit” your best customers to do all your selling for you. (And without paying them a penny in commission.)
  • How to use your prospect’s skepticism to your advantage when selling to them.
  • And lots, lots more.

Are we having fun, yet?

Anyway, the above are just 55 of the tips.

There are 101 total inside.

And, you can download them all here:

www.CrackerjackSelling.com

See ya,

Ben Settle

The Newsletter Nazi

More and more I’ve noticed people who quit their “Email Players” — www.EmailPlayers.com — wanting to re-subscribe.

Usually… I reject them.

Why?

Isn’t that like flushing money away?

Mayhaps.

But if someone cancels (especially during or right after their first month) it’s usually from one or more of these 4 reasons:

1. They just wanted the free stuff

This is the mark of a loser.

You cannot do much about these types, they are who they are, and whenever your offer is heavily “bribe” based (like mine is) you will attract them.

2. They’re quitters

They’re like the guy who only takes a health supplement for 30 days, doesn’t feel results, then quits. These people are not serious about their success.

Fact is, most who stay past 3 months stick around long term.

Make lots of sales.

And CRAVE more information to get more.

And those who quit?

They often cite money as the reason.

Which brings us to reason number 3…

3. I have not provided them enough value

Money is NEVER the real reason.

Even a homeless beggar on the street can afford $3.23 per day (the subscription price). Money is an excuse, but not a legitimate reason. And if that reason is cited as the excuse then I’ve either not provided them enough value (so why let them re-subscribe if that’s the case?) or…

4. They are not using the information

Again, it’s not the money.

$3 and change per day won’t break anyone.

Most “broke” people I know piss away 5 times that each day at Starbucks. So I’m either underwhelming them (so again, why let them come back?) or they are not APPLYING the information. If they don’t apply it, they can’t benefit from it and there’s no reason for them to stick around (or for me to allow them to come back later — no do-nothings allowed).

So those are the main reasons people quit.

And also the reasons I reject most who try to come back.

Some people slip through the cracks.

But I usually catch them.

And when I do, I go all “Soup Nazi” on them:

“No newsletter for you!”

Sometimes I even tell them to try back in 1 year (another trick I learned from the Soup Nazi).

Hey, I SUFFER for my newsletter.

I demand perfection from myself.

And… from each issue.

How can I tolerate any less from subscribers?

Ben Settle

Build Your Business On HATE

On that webinar last week with Brian Mcleod and David Garfinkel I taught something I have never talked about publicly.

Something I’ve thought long and hard about.

And, in some ways, is the foundation of my email system.

And that is…

You’re NOT defined by the people who love and support you.

You’re defined by those who HATE and ATTACK you.

My favorite example of this is Jesus Christ.

Just mentioning His NAME pisses people off.

(If you don’t believe me, write an email about Jesus. All the “tolerant” little mush cookies will start telling you how offended they are. But write an email about Buddha or Zeus or being “spiritual” and you won’t hear a peep.)

Anyway, back to my droog Jesus.

(Oh I can FEEL the seethers bristling at His name… oh yeah!)

His “brand” is now 2000 years old.

And His ministry was in some ways defined by His HATERS.

Like…

  • The wicked money changers screwing people out of their money in the temple of God.
  • The scribes who’s religious & political power He threatened.
  • The demons who were terrified of Him.
  • The people who mocked him when He was being crucified. (I mean, really, an innocent guy is being dragged through the streets with his guts *literally* hanging out, and you’re gonna mock the guy? Give him vinegar to drink? Nutzo.)
  • And, of course, the devil!

Bid’niz is the same way.

You know you’re doing it right when you outsell the conmen.

When you anger the scammers.

And, when you expose the shenanigans going on all around you people blindly fall for just because their favorite goo-roo does it.

So let the bad guys hate on you.

Means you’re doing it right.

Anyway, using my email system could eventually get the “scribes” and money-changers (in your niche) yapping and squawking at you, too.

If that happens?

Good.

Means you’re helping your market.

Doing people a real service.

And, making a profit to boot.

Here’s where to subscribe to “Email Players”:

www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle